


Checkmate

by Tarlan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, Episode Tag, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-09-24
Updated: 2007-09-24
Packaged: 2017-10-21 04:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/220732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was good at Chess, but too easily distracted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Checkmate

**Author's Note:**

> LJ McSheplets Challenge 002: Downtime.  
> Tag to The Game.

Despite being the biggest geek in the Pegasus galaxy, and possibly the Milky Way too, Rodney had never found time for playing computer games. He was too busy building real world solutions to join the ranks of those addicted to online fantasy role playing. He preferred to sit and code a new program that would map the stars than battle aliens on make-believe worlds. If he stopped to play at all then it was something just to keep his brain ticking over, like Solitaire or Minesweeper, something to pass the relentless minutes waiting for a program to compile or run.

 _The Game_ was different.

John had been raving over The Sims and Sim City and other world-building games and this one caught his eye immediately; he'd wanted someone to play the game with him. Not just anyone though, as Rodney pointed out that Zelenka was the games nerd among them, but John had wanted *him*. He'd wheedled and charmed and pouted in such a stupid and pathetic manner that Rodney had to say yes to contain the embarrassment.

And so started _The Game_ that, unbeknown to them, was not a game at all but rather another instance of the Ancients meddling in the affairs of others before they went all glowy and moralistic on the universe.

Chess with John in the commissary was not the same. Rodney was good at Chess, though admittedly not as good as Zelenka, but he could manage to hold his own for two out of three games with the 'Grand Master of Atlantis'. The problem was not his ability to play but how easily he became distracted by the noise and movement surrounding him. Trays clattered loudly as they were bussed, bursts of laughter or shouts rose up sporadically, or people stepped up behind to watch him and John play, leaning in to study the board, breathing heavily into his ear, their breath warm against his neck. Then there was John with his long, agile, callused fingers playing over the Chess pieces, picking up a Rook and tapping it against his chin, tongue sneaking out to slide across his lips as he considered the next dozen potential moves, leaving those lips slick and shiny. He'd make his move and look straight at Rodney, separated only by the width of a small table rather than ten feet away behind different gaming consoles, eyes shining with mischief, boring into Rodney as if to psych him out.

And it was working too. The cacophony of sound and movement, of light playing off John's hair, of his slim fingers caressing a black Queen this time, lips shiny and curved into a sexy smile; all of it distracted Rodney, making it impossible to think beyond a few moves on the board.

He saw it again too late, the move that placed his King in danger and though there was a slim chance that he could get himself out of check and even win this game, Rodney could take no more tonight. He toppled his King, much to John's consternation.

"You okay?"

"I'm...No, not really."

John winced slightly. "It *is* a little noisy in here tonight."

"Really?" Rodney winced as the sarcastic retort fell but John merely grinned in response.

"How about we set the board up in my quarters?"

"Now?"

John seemed taken aback. "Sure!"

The board was packed away carefully and they retreated from the commissary having gathered some snacks and a hot drink to take with them. John's room seemed strangely different without every surface covered in lit candles, even though he'd been here plenty of times when the surfaces had been bare. Yet he remembered the warmth and sense of security he'd felt as John tried to guide him in meditation, using what little he had gained during those six months spent with Teer and her people.

He glanced towards the bed.

What he also remembered was the last moments as his brain fried from the stress of holding too much Ancient knowledge, feeling John's strong arms catching him and lowering to that bed. Once more he heard an echo of those words of reassurance interspersed with silent prayers, of his fear of loving him and losing him, even as John radioed for assistance. Later, as he lay dying, John had denied the words and Rodney had been too weak to try to pull the truth from John's thoughts, eventually believing they were simply the delusion of his fevered brain.

Rodney looked back suddenly, catching an expression on John's face before it was schooled to mere friendship - and he knew the truth. He didn't needed to read John's mind because every aching need and desire was written so plainly in his eyes.

"I...love you too, you know....And not just in a way a friend feels about another friend."

John stared at him for a moment that seemed to stretch into infinity, and then he smiled, taking a step forward and brushing his fingers over Rodney's face. As their lips closed in for the first of many kisses, Rodney knew they would no longer be playing games in their downtime.

END


End file.
